Death of Leeds landlady who helped run biggest and most successful Tetley pubs

Date:30th march 2017. Picture James Hardisty. Vincent Campbell, of Morley, Leeds, along with his late wife Maureen, used to run some of the biggest and most successful Tetley pubs in Leeds. Pictured Vincent Campbell holding a picture of his late wife Maureen.

MORE than 150 mourners are expected at the funeral of a retired landlady who helped run some of the biggest and most successful Tetley pubs in Leeds for 20 years.

Maureen and Vince Campbell were hosts at Gipton pub the Oak Tree and Harehills pubs the Compton Arms, The Fforde Green and The Sportsman during a career in the licensing trade which started in 1977 and ended in the late 1990s.

Date:30th march 2017. Picture James Hardisty. Vincent Campbell, of Morley, Leeds, along with his late wife Maureen, used to run some of the biggest and most successful Tetley pubs in Leeds. Pictured Collect of Maureen and Vincent Campbell, winners of the Manager of the month award from brewers Joshua Tetleys, whilst working at the Fforde Grene pub, Roundhay Road, Leeds.

Grandmother Mrs Campbell, who had been suffering from rare muscle wasting illness progressive supranuclear palsy for around seven years, lost her fight for life aged 66 on March 18.

Vince Campbell, 68 of Morley, said: “I was honoured to be her husband for 47 years.”

Mr Campbell said his late wife “loved every minute” of her life working in pubs, adding: “That’s when pubs were pubs – they were the best days of our lives.”

Date:30th march 2017. Picture James Hardisty. Vincent Campbell, of Morley, Leeds, along with his late wife Maureen, used to run some of the biggest and most successful Tetley pubs in Leeds. Pictured Collect of Vincent and his late wife Maureen outside Rocky's.

The couple ran the Compton Arms from 1980 to 1990. A boxing gym was opened in the cellar and the couple created the popular Rocky’s bar upstairs at the pub. Rocky’s bar was used by the Yorkshire county darts team and hosted major tournaments featuring star players including Eric Bristow. In 1984, the Compton Arms sold the most beer of any managed house supplied by the Tetley Brewery in Leeds.

Mr Campbell said all are welcome at the funeral service at 9.30am on Friday April 7 at Corpus Christi RC Church, Osmondthorpe.

It will be followed by burial at Killingbeck Cemetery and a celebration of Mrs Campbell’s life at Corpus Christ Catholic Club on Halton Moor Avenue.

Date:30th march 2017. Picture James Hardisty. Vincent Campbell, of Morley, Leeds, along with his late wife Maureen, used to run some of the biggest and most successful Tetley pubs in Leeds. Pictured Collect of (left) Terry and Ida Robbins, former landlord of the Fforde Grene, Roundhay Road, Leeds, with (right) Maureen, and Vincent Campbell, former landlord of the Compton Arms, Harehills, Leeds, with locals looking on.